Learning to moonwalk all over again

IT is a demanding dance move that few 50-year-olds would even hope to attempt - but a Michael Jackson concert just wouldn't be the same without his signature Moonwalk. So the ageing pop superstar has embarked on a rigorous training programme to ensure he will be fit and agile enough to perform his famous shuffle night after night during his London concerts this summer. It has been eight years since he even attempted a public Moonwalk, in which he appears to glide backwards while walking forwards, but he is determined not to disappoint fans at his 50 comeback dates at the O2 Arena. He has been spending hours studying old footage of his famous moves and is working with acclaimed choreographer Kenny Ortega and a team of fitness trainers to ensure he is step-perfect in time for the first dates this July. - DM Fellow musician Lionel Richie said an 'insecure' Jackson was discovering that the ageing process had affected his athletic abilities - and told his friend to concentrate more on singing than spectacular dance moves he may be too old to pull off. Richie said: 'He's not that 25- or 30-year-old any more so he will have to discover some things about himself that he didn't quite want to face up to. 'But what he does have is a mound of hit records. He has to just get it in his head that we [as performers] are on that stage because people want to see us singing those songs. 'Whether you moonwalk or skywalk or float in from the back of the stage, that's all extra added attractions, but the most important thing is to pick up the microphone and sing Thriller, that's all that matters. 'Speaking from an artist's point of view, there is an insecurity of being away for a while, and you wonder, "Do I know what I'm doing?".' A tour source said: 'Michael has started working with a choreographer and trainers to get him in shape because he wants to perform the moves that made him famous. 'He is spending hours watching his past performances and videos because he wants to put on a show that is as good as - if not better than - those he's done before. 'He is determined he's going to do the Moonwalk because the fans will go crazy for it. He also wants to do his other famous moves from throughout his career. 'The shows will be his swan song so he wants them to be the best ever. And he knows that what the fans love is the whole Michael Jackson package - not just the songs, but the dance moves too. He will deliver.' Jackson last went on the road in 1996 and 1997 with the HIStory World Tour and he last performed the Moonwalk in September 2001 at a one-off concert celebrating his 30th anniversary as a performer. His spokesman last night refused to comment on preparations for the comeback shows. - Daily Mail